I apologize for sending this twice today. The gremlins got to the first copy so please delete and enjoy this one instead!
A splash of yellow amid the sea of green leaves caught my attention. “That wasn’t there yesterday,” I thought as I hurried out to the vegetable garden to investigate.
One of our zucchini plants had two large flowers as well as a few buds forming. On closer examination I saw a small zucchini with the dried remains of a flower on the end.
I thought about the showy flowers that would soon wither and fade away. As lovely as the blooms are, they have to die before the plant will produce its crop.
The same holds true for the fruit trees and their blossoms that we look forward to in spring. The petals have to fall in order for summer’s fruit to form.
The analogy to life was not lost on me. There is nothing wrong with promoting or drawing attention to the work I’m doing. After all, I’m pointing others to God and his creation.
There comes a time, however, when I have to die to my ambitions and let Jesus take control of my talents, hopes and dreams. They are all gifts from him anyway.
By thanking Jesus and following his calling on my life, while leaving the outcome entirely up to him, I am putting myself in the background. The fruit produced for his kingdom will be more abundant when he is in charge.
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24 NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galations 5:22-23 NIV)